Ryanair Red Hot Fares Too Hot

Dublin
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Irish budget carrier, Ryanair, are in hot water again for what the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) say are ads that are too “sexually suggestive”.

The ASA assessment, prompted by just over a dozen complaints, read in part:

The ASA noted both ads promoted one way fares from £9.99 and a cabin crew charity calendar. We also noted the women, featured in ads (a) and (b), were wearing underwear and looking directly at the reader and considered that, although the images were not overtly sexual in content, the appearance, stance and gaze of the women, particular the one in ad (a), who was shown pulling her pants slightly down, were likely to be seen as sexually suggestive.

The complaints were received by the government body after the airline issued two adverts of women posing in their underwear under the slogan ‘Red Hot Fares & Crew! One way from £9.99’.

In defence, Ryanair argued crew members have volunteered to take part in the photo shoot for the annual (sold out) charity calendar and thus the images could not objectify women.

Adverts featuring male members of staff were also produced, the carried said.